But Perec's approach is not strictly autobiographical -- it is strict, but practically only in other ways.

Perec's work can rarely be approached in the manner most personally-based writing can, and yet biography is integral to it.

The knowledge that some of Perec is hidden in his work

The fear that the anecdote about director Bernard Queysanne -- his only learning years later that the location of the last scene of his film of A Man Asleep was shot essentially where Perec had lived as an infant, when his parents had still been alive -- is not the exception but typical of how Perec used his past but did not reveal it.

Much of Perec's own writing is also impersonal, with form exerting an enormous influence on content.

Perecís own writing is so exhaustive

The detailing is meticulous, minute.

His analysis goes in great depth, considering and describing all aspects.

His writing seems complete: what can there be to add ?

There is an abundance of writing about Perec

There are biographies -- including David Belos' exemplary one -- seemingly covering most of the essential biographical details.

There are a fill of homages and tributes, and many personal reminiscences.

The advantage -- real or imagined -- of those who write from personal experience, who knew Perec personally.

Concomitantly: the general veneration of the figure Perec

Perec as a sympathetic figure

Perec seems genuinely sympathetic, in all respects, including:

His humble archivist life.

His unostentatious cleverness.

His crossword puzzling.

Perec was not so simple, and yet it is hard to get beyond the superficial facts.

It is difficult to even want to see the warts -- even those so apparent on his face.